Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-03
FROM TURTLES BACKS.
THE REVIVAL OF THE BIG TOR
TOISE SHELL COMB.

? A Fashion Of Our grandmother. That
Belle--How the Combs are Manufact.
ured-rort"i.e Shell Cap Forepiece..
THE fashion for tortoise shell combs is
returning" said a large uptown retailer
To reporter Some five years ago
combs were considered out of fashion. and
nobody used them except ladies Of the old
school, ard then the combs were very
small. But the style has been growing in
favor, and should not he surprised to see
in few years the enormous comb Of our
grandmothers worn again"
Does the style of the comb originate
here, or is it imported from Paris, with
the rest of Il woman's headgear2' asked
the reporter.
''oh. no; buy my goods from manu-
facturer in the city who has been in the
trade for Ii number of years. The French
combs do not take here, and nj the same
time the designs are so elaborate that they
cost, with the duties, too much for the
average purchaser
On the second floor of an old fashioned
building the reporter found the largest
tortoise shell comb manufacturer in the
city He said: Tortoise shell comes
chiefly from Central America and the
West India islands The natives trade
the shell for provisions and clothing, and
down there it is as good as silver
Are the shells brought here wholes"
asked the reporter.
''Oh, no. When the natives catch the
tortoise they kill him and expose the shell
to the fire, which loosens the plates, and
then they are easily pulled apart There
are thirteen plates ON the back of the tor
toise and thirteen on the stomach. The
stomach plates are what we call amber
shell, and are worth more than the rest,
for when they are polished they are al
most rs light as genuine amber"
Near the door sat n white haired old
Frenchman sCraping and cutting some
shells which a lad took up and bound to-
gether with a thread \ comb has To be
several shells thick. After the shells are
cut out in the general shape of the design
wanted, they are wrapped in several thick
nesses of wet cotton cloth and placed be-
tween two heavy heated irons in "A press,
which is screwed down. Left there for
half an hour the steam YIELDS them to-
gether nicely and when taken out they GO
to the designer, who pastes paper pat
tern on the shell, SO that all the delicate
filigree work can he cut out with what
looks like an ordinary scroll saw They
are then sent To another room. where the
rough edges are cut off with circular
saws about as large as the end of lead
pencil.
After going through several processes
the comb arrives at the last stage. the
polishing room. There are number of
wheels of different sizes, some thicker
than Others, revolving at a rapid rate.
The proprietor explained: These wheels
are composed of many layers of muslin
cloth, and the heat generated through
friction removes all roughncss and puts on
a beautiful polish, which lasts as long rs
the comb"
do you make any Of those very large
combs, like that specimen in the case:'
The manufacturer picked up the comb,
which measured fifteen inches wide and
eight inches high, beautifully carved. and
replied; That comb was sent here from
Brazil by lady Of Dom Pedro'> court.
/ mcndeI it, but il has never been called
for, and | am not sorry, for it is n curios-
ity in this cOuntry. We do not make any
like II. I have some pretty large ones,
q es.sor. for the laslies of Havana still
sSs9 -a.- rnstyie. Tortoise shell
8 sssd' thirty. pr mdfvea,ssss. Here. for
instance, are lot Of cap fofe> pieces Isl s6f
Besk Eass ffgff wsfgffs % just &c" oSsfai an ouncs.-l
New York Evening sun